James Alvey
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
James Alvey was the son of Charles and Mary Ann Alvey (née Jackson). His father Charles Alvey was born in about 1851 in Nottingham. His mother, Mary Ann Jackson was born in Liverpool. There is a record of a Mary Ann Jackson, daughter of John and Margaret, born 18 August 1848 and baptised at Liverpool St Anthony on 27 August 1848. The 1851 Census records a Margaret Jackson (23) b. Liverpool, a seamstress, and her daughters Mary A (2) b. Liverpool and Margaret J. (9m) b. Nottingham, lodging with a family in Nottingham. Charles married Mary Ann Jackson Rall (sic) at Nottingham St Mary on 5 October 1868 (reg. Nottingham, Mary Ann J Rall). No record has been traced of a Mary Ann Jackson Rall nor of a record of her mother marrying (Jackson/Rall) when her daughter might have taken the surname of a stepfather. Charles and Mary had twelve children, ten of whom were still living in 1911. Eleven children have been traced on census and birth registrations, the youngest of whom died in 1906. The children were born in Nottingham (birth registrations mother's maiden name Jackson) and the eldest, born before their marriage, was registered Alvey Jackson but later used the surname Alvey. Two children were baptised at Nottingham St Barnabus RC and six at Sneinton St Stephen: James William Alvey Jackson b. 10 January 1868 bap. St Barnabas 1 March 1868; Charles b. 8 March 1872 bap. St Barnabas 5 April 1872; Martha b. 1874 bap. St Stephen 3 September 1876; Arthur b. 1876 bap. St Stephen 3 September 1976; Catherine b. 1878 bap. St Stephen 6 July 1879; John (Jack) b. 1880 (reg. J/F/M); Mary Anna b. 1882 (reg. J/F/M); James b. 1883 bap. St Stephen 3 May 1885; Harriet b. 1885 bap. St Stephen 15 June 1887; Thomas b. 1887 bap. St Stephen 15 June 1887 and Margaret (Maggie) b. 1889 (J/F/M) d. 1906. Charles and Mary Ann were living at Cross Court, Nottingham, in 1871: Charles (19), Mary Ann (23) and their son William (3). Also in the household were three boarders. The family was still living at Cross Court when Catherine was baptised in 1879. The family was at 21 Mount Court, Mount Street, by 1881: Charles, a lace maker, Mary a lace clipper, and their chldren William, Charles (9), Martha (6), Arthur (5), Catherine (2) and John (1). They were living at 50 Newcastle Street when Harriet and Thomas were baptised in 1887 and recorded on the same street in 1891. Both Charles and Mary were still working in the lace trade as were their son Charles who was a lace threader and daughter Martha a lace dresser. Also in the home on the night of the census were Arthur a brewer, John, Mary (10), James (8), Harriet (5), Thomas (4) and Margaret (2). The eldest son, William, was no longer living at home. By 1901 Charles and May had moved to 56 Northumberland Street; only six of their eleven children were still at home: Charles, a lace maker, Mary a lace jennier, James a labourer, Harriet a cigar maker, Thomas a box maker and Margaret who was still at school. The youngest child, Margaret, died on 5 December 1906, aged 12. By 1911 Charles and Mary were living at 53 Union Road, Nottingham; all ten children had left home. Charles snr. died on 11 May 1912 and his wife Mary on 18 October 1919. Their second son, Charles, died on 22 July 1918. James married Clara Bennett (b. Liverpool 24 July 1883) in 1907. In 1891 Clara (7) and her five siblings were living with their widowed mother Mary Bennett (41) a seamstress, in the parish of St Mary, Nottingham. In 1911 census James, a wood sawyer, and his wife a lace finisher, were living at 13 Ball (or Bail) Yard, Coalpit Lane, Nottingham. The later CWGC record gives his widow's address as 5 Eagle Place, Alison Rise, Great Alfred Street, Nottingham. Clara has not yet been traced after this period. James' brother Thomas joined the Army Service Corps (Drivers) on 4 July 1905 on a 12 year engagement (2 years with the Colours, 10 years Army Reserve). Thomas was 18 years 3 months old and employed as a bottle washer and already serving with the 2nd Bn. Notts Rifle Volunteers. He transferred to the Army Reserve on 3 July 1907 on completion of two years' service with the ASC and was then mobilized on 5 August 1914. He was not demobilized until 29 May 1919 when he transferred to Class 'Z' Army Reserve and was discharged to 8 Guy's Terrace, Blue Bell Hill, Nottingham. Thomas had married Elizabeth Handley at Nottingham Register Office on 3 October 1908 and they had three children, Thomas (b. 14 December 1910), May Elizabeth (b. 29 May 1914) and a second son (b. 23 July 1918).
Lance Corporal James Alvey served with the 11th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. He died of wounds in Italy on 25th June 1918 and was buried in Staglieno Cemetery, Genoa, Italy (grave ref. I.B.18). CWGC - Staglieno Cemetery (extract): 'The Italians entered the war on the Allied side, declaring war on Austria, in May 1915. Commonwealth forces were at the Italian front between November 1917 and November 1918, and rest camps and medical units were established at various locations in northern Italy behind the front, some of them remaining until 1919. From November 1917 to the end of the war, Genoa was a base for commonwealth forces and the 11th General, and 38th and 51st Stationary Hospitals, were posted in the city.' (www.cwgc.org)
CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'Duty nobly done' Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, 5 December 1906: ‘Alvey. In loving memory of my dearest and youngest daughter, Margaret, who departed this life December 5th, 1905. How we miss her none can tell.’ Notices also placed by sister Kate [Catherine] and brother Jack [John]. (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, 11 May 1915: ‘Alvey. In loving memory of my dear husband, Charles Alvey, who passed away May 11th, 1912; also my dear daughter, Margaret, who died December 5th, 1906. I think of them in silence, and their names I often recall; but there’s nothing left to answer, but the photo on the wall. From wife and family.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, 'In memoriam', 1st July 1918:- “ALVEY. – Lce-Corpl. James Alvey, dearly beloved husband of Clara Alvey, died of wounds, June 25th, after 13 years and 9 months' faithful service. I do miss him, oh, how sadly, bleeding hearts alone can tell; I have lost him, heaven has found him, Jesus doeth all things well. Duty nobly done. – From broken-hearted wife Clara. “ALVEY. – Died of wounds, June 25th, Lce-Corpl. James Alvey, Stretcher Bearer, Northumberland Fusiliers, the beloved son of Mary Ann and the late Charles Alvey. Sadly mourned. – From broken-hearted mother, Tom (in France).' “ALVEY. – Died of wounds, June 25th, Lce-Corpl. Jim Alvey. Loved by all. – Sorrowing sister Polly [Mary], husband & children. “ALVEY. – Died of wounds, June 25th, Lce-Corpl. James Alvey, Stretcher bearer. A noble lie laid down. – From sister Harriett, husband, and Grace. “ALVEY. – Died of wounds, June 25th, Lce-Corpl. Jim Alvey. Duty nobly done. – Brother Arthur. “ALVEY. – Died of wounds, June 25th, Lce-Corpl. Jim Alvey, truest and dearest of brothers. – Sister Catherine Dexter, husband, family. “ALVEY. – Died of wounds, June 25th, Lce-Corpl. Jim Alvey. The great sacrifice. – Brother Bill [William], wife, and family. “ALVEY. – Died of wounds, June 25th, 1918, Lce-Corpl. James Alvey, Stretcher Bearer, Northumberland Fusiliers. Always happy and cheerful, with a heart that knew no fear, he stood to face life's battles for those he loved so dear. Gone, but not forgotten. – Brother Jack [John], wife Lucy, niece Grace. “ALVEY. --Died of Wounds, June 25th, Lce-Corpl. James Alvey, Northumberland Fusiliers. Supreme sacrifice. – Sister-in-law Jessie and Gertie, brother-in-law Herbert, and Fred and Will.” Nottingham Evening Post, 'In Memoriam', 22nd July 1919:- “ALVEY. – In loving remembrance of my dear son, James Alvey, who died of wounds in Italy June 25th, 1918; also my dear son, Charles Alvey, who died suddenly July 22nd, 1918, the dearly-beloved sons of the late Charles and Mary Ann Alvey. We shall meet in the great beyond. – From broken-heartened mother." “ALVEY. – In loving memory of our brother Charlie, who died suddenly July 22nd, 1918. Sadly missed. – Billie and Harry.” Above courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918 Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’ 18 October 1919: ‘Alvey, On the 18th inst., after a short and painful illness, Mary Ann, the dearly beloved wife of the late Charles Alvey, aged 71, passed peacefully away. From sorrowing sons and daughters.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
